Historic vote on whether to keep the horse carriage industry in NYC

Jessica Formoso is tracking what is going on with the horse carriage industry. Jessica, apologies for keeping you waiting this morning. I know you've been out there all day covering what's happening with the horse carriage industry. A big vote today and a big rally earlier. What's going on? Good morning, Dan. Yeah, we're just hours away from that historic vote, which will take place at 1.30. Now, this morning, the future of the horse carriage drivers remains uncertain. And it's quiet here at the stable, and that's because about an hour ago, there was a rally over at City Hall. And I think we have video of that, that the horse carriage drivers and their union representatives were out there really rallying and protesting, trying to save their jobs. As you know, this has been a debate for many, many years here in New York City. So the city council now looking to do away with this industry, an iconic industry, an industry that attracts so many people to Central Park, one that's been around in New York City for more than 160 years. So we know that this vote will take place later this afternoon and this bill to do away with the horse carriage industry will most likely pass. So what is at stake here? So the drivers, the horse carriage drivers, they're saying that they fear they're going to lose their livelihood, right? They're saying our jobs are going to be gone. How can we support our families and what's going to happen to our horses? The city council, on the other hand, says that they are working on a plan to help them transition to new jobs. And this plan includes job placement, training, career counseling and financial compensation, as well as stronger protections for the horses themselves. But I did speak with the union representative who says, you know, we have not seen any of that. That is not in the plan. And they are saying what's going to happen with us. They haven't given us concrete answers. And this is why they're upset, because they are vowing that if this bill does pass today, they are going to challenge this in court. I think we have some sound from the union representative. We have sound from the union and also from city council speaker Jessica, excuse me, city council speaker Julie Menin, who is going to defend the bill that's going to pass today. So we're going to hear both of those pieces of sound right now. We beefed up the worker protection language in the bill to really make sure that every single worker is getting a job, whether that be in the hospitality industry, whether that be a city job, whether it be an animal welfare. we strengthen the language on worker protection because we absolutely agree we know these workers have given their life to this industry and we want to make sure that they are protected she has been lying about what's in this bill she's been lying to the public and to her own members she will not meet with the carriage drivers who she's going to impact and hurt um there is no guarantee in this bill of anything there's no funding there's no jobs there's no compensation it's a it's a consideration of maybe doing something on the mayor's side all right so listening to both sides and then let's show some video of the rally this morning even if we're just showing the speakers there um so this morning Jessica we did have a pretty big rally that was happening right near City Hall where we had uh several members of the union uh as well as the horse carriage industry a lot of those drivers who are out there um i mean what are they saying this morning Jessica so what they're saying is that you know this bill the way that is written right now they're saying that it takes away property without compensation you know they're saying they're taking away our horses uh what are we going to do there's no job lined up for us and what they're upset is saying they're upset that the city council speaker is talking about uh new jobs and career um uh you know like job fairs that they're going to do training them in other industries. But they're saying that they didn't get any of that information that is not set in stone. So they're afraid that they're going to pass this bill today and then just forget about the workers here that have been around in this industry for many, many years. Now, we did get a statement yesterday, last night from the union itself. And I want to read it because I think this pretty much sums it up. It says, this is a train wreck of constitutional and due process violations it offers nothing concrete for blue-collar drivers and carriage owners who will be financially crushed stripped of their jobs their licenses expensive city-issued medallions small businesses and way of life it is not progressive it is anti-worker it's theft that is the statement that the union put out last night and Jessica just very quickly uh let's let's pick up uh this this news conference here um and let's listen in to some of these union members who are talking about what they're upset about let's uh let's jump in because this happened just uh just a minute or two ago industry they are taking away from the people that own the carriages that have medallions like taxi medallions that they paid tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars for they're taking away the licenses of 200 drivers 200 people who make a living with the license. All right. So hearing from union leaders there and Jessica, this votes at 1:30 today. I can see the city council up on one of our feeds that started to gather. I think they have some other business that they may get to before that. Anything else we should know on this, Jessica, before we let you go? Yeah, just just to mention and backtrack a little bit, Dan, is that we remember that this really has been a debate for many, many years, but It really came back into the spotlight after that 18-year-old tourist from India died this past summer. So Ramanchas's Law, which is what the bill is called, is named after that 18-year-old that passed away when he and his family were taking a ride in one of the carriages, and it was a runaway carriage. He fell off, and it was tragic. So this again, since June, this happened. We've been hearing a lot about it. And today is the day that we're going to learn the fate of this industry that's been around for more than 160 years. Big changes here in New York City look likely on the way. Jessica Formoso, thank you very much.